Marking tool



`April l0, 1928.

F. BITTNER MARKING TOOL Filed Feb. 5, 1927 ffm/WW 5D/7777er fW/W/MM Patented Apr. 10, 1,928.

unirse srArEs Lata-40d' PA'I'ENT 'FFICE FREDWILL BITTNER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MARKING TOOL.

Application filed February 3, 1927.

frames in which the studs or upright meinbers are spaced a certain distance apart. This is necessary in order that the studs receive standard laths without the necessity of cutting the laths except to accommodate Windows and features of the construction Which, of course, cannot be avoided. In practice, the studs extend or are carried between horizontal parts known as plates, and it is customary to lay the top and bottom plates together on the floor and lay them oill or mark them at the points where they are to receive the studs. lVith .the method now in use, a carpenter ordinarily lays off the plates with a hand rule `and square. By this method, the measurements for the studs are more or less inaccurate and many times the errors resulting from this method cause the studs to be placed so that they do not properly and accurately receive the laths. .Furtheig the method now in use is comparatively slow and it is many times di'l'lcult to properly locate Windows andother structural features in the framing.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a tool to be used in marking or laying out plates for studding.

It is an object of this invention to provide a tool whereby the position of a number of studs can be obtained at a single setting of the tool.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool operable in different positions.

The various objects and features of my invention will be best and more fully understood from the following detailed descrip tion of a typical form and application of the invention, throughout Which description Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the tool showing one side of the tool'- Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the other side of the tool;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, detailed, sectional Serial No. 165,560.

view ofthe tool, taken as indicated by line le-1 on Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, detailed,ysectional view, taken as indicated by line .5-5 on rig. 4. Y

The tool provided by this invention may be used to advantage in various situations. It is, however, particularly suited for use by carpenters in the construction of frame or Wooden structures and specifically in marking plates for studs. I will, in this disclosure, make particular reference to the invention in al form to be .used by carpenters for they use stated, it being understood that such disclosure is not tobe construed as limiting the broader' principles of the invention.v

`'llhe tool includes, generally, an elongate body 10, and a plurality of arms 11 carried by the body. The body 1() is preferably in the yform of a Wooden strip rectangularin cross-sectional configuration, so that it presents opposite sides 12 and 13. and opposite edges'14 and 15. I may make the bodyv of any desired length and I may provideit with suitable marks or graduations. I have found it convenient in practice to make the body slightly over eight feet in length and to provide scales or markings on both of its edges 14 and 15 and on one of its sides 13. In the particular case illustrated in the drawings, I have shown the edge 14e of the body marked oftv vor graduated in inches and feet and have shown the graduations on this part of the body starting from a point adjacent' one end of the body. I have shown the edge 15 marked off or graduated in inches, the inches being numbered in both directionsfrom the center of the body. The side 13 of the body is marked off in inches and feet so that the scale runs in the direction opposite to that on the edge 14 of the body. It is to be understood, of course, that the inch marks may be further divided `into halves, quarters,A eighths, etc., as desired.

The arms 11 provided on the body are arranged in definite spaced relation on the body and are mounted so that they can be positioned to project from either'y edge of the body.` The arms are carried on one side of the body, for instance, on theside 12 and are slidably connected with the body for limited movement transversely thereof. The' arms are preferably in the form of metal plates of suitable Width and having straight parallel edges 18. The plates forming the arms are mounted transversely on the body the arms may vary with the class of work for which the tool is intended.

The means provided by my invention for mounting the arms on the body includes, generally, guide members 2O which engage the arms to guide them in their movement with reference to the body, bolts 21, or the like, which are carried by the body 10 and extend through slots 22 formed in the arms,

and washers which are carried on the bolts 21 to retain the arms in position onthe body. In the preferred construction, each arm 11 is provided with a central longitudi- Mnal slot 22 which slidably receives an elongate guide member 20 mounted on the side 12 of the body 10.` The guide member 20 is disposed transversely ofthe body and thus holds and guides the arm in the desiredposition transversely of the body. In the particularconstruction shownin the drawings,`

two bolts 21 extend through each guide 2U and the body 10 to hold the guide `in proper position on the body, and a washer 25 is ar- Vranged under the head 26 of each bolt to hold the arm against the side 12 of the body and in proper position on the guide 20. In practice, I prefer to punch the slots 22 in the arms andI may utilize the material removed in the formation of theslots informingthe guides 20. I provide a sliding fit between the guides and slots so that the arms will readily or freely `slide transversely of the body. It is to be noted that the arms are considerably longer than the body is wide and, therefore, project beyond the edges of the body. ranged in an`upright position, that is, on one of its edges, 'all of the arms will immediately drop to position where they project downwardly from the lower-most edge of the body in the manner clearly shown throughoutthe drawings. It is to be noted that the slots formed in the arms are coinparatively long, thus allowing the arms to project a substantial distance from the body sufficient to allow the tool to be operated as hereinafter described.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious how the tool may be used to'advantage in various situations and in various manners.` In Fig.` 1 of the drawings, I have illustrated the tool arranged for use in connection with plate members A and B. The

lVhen the body is a`r-` tool is arranged with one edge of Vits `body resting on the top of the uppermost plate A adjacent the edge of the plate A so that the arms are free to drop down at the sides of the plates A and B; Inthe particular case illustrated in the drawings, other plates C and I) are arranged in connection with the plates A andB and occur `at a point opposite one of the arms of the tool. In this case, the armV occurringopposite the plates C and D remains in an up position, as shownl in Fig. l, so that the presenceof studs C and D does not interfere with the operation ofthe tool. IVith the tool-placed on the plates Aand B, as shown in F ig. l, the locations for thestudsmay be applied to the plates by marking the plates along the edges 18 of theseveral arms extending down at the sides of the plates.` It will be apparent how the various markings on. the body enable a" carpenter' to Areadily calculate distances or spaces for 4windows and other structural fea` tures. `lith 'the particular tool illustrated in the drawings,the position of seven studs` v can be marked on the plates at one 'operation or one setting of the/tool.' It will `be ob! vious that the tool can'be used to space or A extend over spaces or gaps ninthe plates so that the properwspacing ofthev marksA can be established at each side Vof the gap.

VHaving described only a typical `preferred form of my invention, I do not wish tolimit myself to the specific details setforth, `but wish to reserveto myself any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled inf' the art or fall within the scope of the fo1- lowing claims.` .Y f f Y `Having described my invention, I claim;

1. A tool `of the character described including, an elongate body, aplurality of arms eachr having ai longitudinal slot, and

means mounting the arms transverselyV on thebody to slide freely transversely ofthe body including guides fixed transversely on the body and slidably fitting the slots in the arms. Y i

2. A markingtool of the character de scribed including, an elongate body, aplurality of arms Veach having a longitudinal slot, and means mounting the arms transversely on the-body in fixed spaced relation longitudinally of the body including guide parts slidably fitting the slots in' `the arms, and bolts mounting the guideparts in fixed transverse position on the body and retain-` ing the arms in operating positionwithref erence to the guide parts with lsaid parts slidably fitting the slots in the arms.

In witness that I claimthe foregoing I have` hereunto subscribed myxname this `18th day ofv January. 1927.- Y l i FREDWILL BITTNER;` 

